Drink up! David Rich’s spirited new venture in an old storefront

Small batch bottles of corn whiskey and white rum line the showroom at Rich Grain Distilling Company in Canton.

This story is part of a partnership between Mississippi Today and The ‘Sip Magazine. This story also appears in the current print edition of The ‘Sip, a special culinary issue, available on racks and by subscription. For more stories like this or to learn more about The ‘Sip, visit thesipmag.com.

Rich Grain Distilling Company owner David Rich stands at the bar in the showroom of the facility in Canton.

The Madison native received a degree in mechanical engineering from Ole Miss and took a position with a defense contractor in Alabama, where he worked for several years. All the while, however, his appreciation of bourbon and other fine spirits grew, as did his desire for entrepreneurship. Rich knew he wanted to move back to the Madison area and he wanted a business of his own. Soul-searching complete, he decided to open a distillery in Canton.

“I really wanted an older building, and I found this one in Canton,” Rich said. “I learned that Canton used to be a hotbed for liquor in the state before Prohibition, so it seemed like a natural fit.”

The distillery is housed in a 6,600-square-foot 1880s brick building on West Peace Street. Rich had the downtown building meticulously restored. The front houses a large tasting room with tables and chairs and a copper-topped bar that stretches almost wall-to-wall on one side. A display of spirits produced at the distillery lines the shelves behind the bar. Although Mississippi law prohibits the distillery from serving cocktails or selling bottles — Rich is hopeful when he adds, “for now.”

The distillery is housed in a 6,600-square-foot 1880s brick building on West Peace Street.

Also on display are several antique ceramic jugs that are stamped with such names as Trolio and Hossley, a tribute to days when local liquor distributors purchased spirits out of state and rebottled them for sale in Canton.

“We can offer tastes to guests,” Rich said as he slid a small cup of spiced rum across the bar.

Rich today makes and sells the spiced rum along with a white rum and corn whiskey. But the flagship product at Rich Grain Distillery is bourbon.

David Rich’s 10-year-old black lab, Dixie, watches over the office at the facility in Canton.

For now, Rich is a one-man show. He does all the work himself, from grinding the grains, making the mash and running the custom-made copper still to bottling and labeling the spirits. He also is his own sales department, working closely with the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission, as well as visiting package stores and bars to introduce his product to as many people in the state as possible. Luckily, Rich has a couple of furry friends to keep him company. He jokingly refers to his 10-year-old black Lab, Dixie, as his “head of barketing,” although her primary activities are lying on the couch and eating corn that falls on the floor.

“She’s really good at both,” Rich said with a laugh.

Kitty is a stray tabby cat that showed up at the distillery early on, looking for a job.

“Her primary job is keeping mice out of the grain,” he said.

Rich is also the chief (and only) tour guide, providing tours of the distillery upon request. The beautiful tasting room also serves as a popular event venue for engagement parties, wedding receptions and other functions.